Manufacture of wool felts



Patented Dec. 4, I 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs- EMIL BREOH'I. AND RUDOLF FUGMANN, OF GUBEN, GERMANY.

v MANUFACTURE OF WOOL FELTS.

No Drawing. Application flied they 25, 1926, Serial No, 111,645, and in Germany June 9, 1925.

The invention relates to a process for making woolen felts by the blowing action of air currents. It has already beenproposed to work up fine sheeps wool into felt wherein the wool was carded and the fibres obtained from the card subjected to the blowing action of currents of air. from this material, however, is not utilizable for many purposes especially in connection with the manufacture of hats. For example, when introducing the fibres into the blowing machine, distribute the fibres upto a certain point and allow them to fly through the air and deposit themselves or settle down, a perfectly uniform deposit is not secured, but on the v contrary the fibres repeatedly collect into ball like masses at certain points and this leads to a lack of uniformity.

New according to the present invention, the primary raw material used is made of the tops, or of the shorter portions of the tops which fall off in combed yarn spinning mills and which when opportunity offers are E sometimes made intentionally. This initial product can be introduced directly into the usual blowing machines in which, by the ac tion of air currents, it can be worked up in the usual manner, in the same way as hair for example. As the tops in contradistinction to carded wooland also to noils represent a stretched fibre, this form being also retained during their passage through the pickers of the blowing machine during the 1 blowing process, consequently there is obtained just as perfectly uniform and compact deposit, upon the cone or other'backing as is obtained in the case of hare or rabbit hair, and in this waya much better felt is obtained than from carded wool. The felt meets all requirements and, in particular those of hat manufacture.

Especially good results are secured if either the torn off portions (i. e., waste portions which fall ofi in combed yarn spinning mills) or the tops, prior to introduction into the blowing machine are cut to a certain length, for example in such wise that the longest fibres ,are of the same length as hare or rabbit hair.

In the practical application of the process it has been found that it is possible to mix thetops or the torn off portions with hair in any proportion that may be desired and then to work up this mixturealso in the manner The felt obtained whilst it is possible to known i n blowing machines. Also in doing this it is advantageous, as set forth above, to so cut the tops or the torn off portions that the longest fibres will have the length of the hair used, preferably hare or rabbits hair;

By the use of the mixture of fibres the ad- I vantage is secured that firmer felt is obtained also,

whether, when working them up, a non-uniform distribution of the different initial substances might not occur, which would render the production of a useful felt impossible. The use of the mixture of tops or torn off portions of the tops with hair afi'ords in com- I parison with the use of carded wool mixed I with hair the same advantages as are set forth above in connection with unmixed tops or slivers. Furthermore if it were desired to mix carded wool with hair it would not be possible to obtain a felt that would be useful for the manufacture of hats in particular;

The process can be carried out with the machinery generally used in the manufacture of felt hats without same having to be altered in any substantial degree. The only thing that is necessary is to adapt the running of the machine to the different material. It is consequently. possible, accordin to the economic conditions, to change over ffom the manufacture of hair felts to that of wool felts and vice versa. In case of such a change in manufacture the hair hat manufacturer is no longer compelled to purchase the costly carding machines required for making wool hats.

What we claim is 2-- 1. In a'process for the manufacture of felts, introducing substantially straight fibres of combed wool into a blowing machine, and there subjecting'said fibres to the action of a current of air for depositing them uniformly upon a receiver in the form of a felt.

p 2. A process for the manufacture of wool felts by the blowing actionof currentspf air, which process; consists in that fibres of combed wool are cut to such lengths that iceiving member with. hair of substantial y the same lengthas said cut, portions in any proportion desired, and the mixture is introduced into a blowing machine and there sub'ected to the blowing action of currents of air for evenly depositing said mixture upon a felbforming receiver.

' length as hare 4. A recess for the manufacture of felts by the lowing action of currents of air, which process consists in that to s of combed wool are cut to substantia y the same length as hair used in felt manufacroportion desired, and the mixture is intro uced into a blowing machine and there subjected to the blo action of currents of air for deposi said I such as rabbit hair, then mired with such hair in any mixture upon areceiver. to form a elt of t the desired shape. A

-5. A blown woolen felt consistin of substantially straight fibres of combed wool.

6. A. blown woolen felt comprising substantially straight fibres of combed wool,

said fibres bein of substantially the same air. 7 A blown felt comp rising the shortened tops of'combed wool mlxed with any desired D p of substantially the same length as said hair.

In testimony whereof we have afiixed our signatures EMIL BBEGHT. I 'RUDOLF FUGMANN.

rtlon of hair, said shortened tops being 

